If you missed some of Latino Hollywood’s best character actors hard at work in Hallmark’s Meddling Mom earlier this year, now’s your chance to catch up: Tony Plana, Sonia Braga, Ana Ayora, and Saundra Santiago at 9P on the Hallmark Channel.
Our friend Patricia Rae received plenty of attention for her role as the severe Colombian mama in The Big Wedding, holding her own with a host of Oscar-level actors like Diane Keaton and Robert DeNiro. But there was a second, equally talented Latina in the cast: Ana Ayora. This isn’t her first seat at the party: Ana appeared in Marly & Me with Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston and Meddling Mom with Sonia Braga. And now…The Big Wedding, with an impossibly stellar cast, where she plays Nuria, the groom’s sister, in the U.S. for the first time to attend her brother’s wedding.
Ana herself, however, is a Miami native with strong Colombian roots who called her time with the cast of The Big Wedding “amazing.” “I am so humbled, I’m so grateful to be a part of this project and to be working with people of this caliber,” she said in a recent interview with voxxi. “I grew up watching these people. As artists, they are so passionate and so dedicated and that was an incredible experience to be a part of.”
See the entire interview below…and catch The Big Wedding, still in a theater near you.
Ana Ayora, Patricia Rae and Robin Williams The Big Wedding
This Friday, April 26, The Big Wedding appears in movie theaters across the country We talked about it a couple of weeks ago, but it bears repeating: this light rom-com stars some of the biggest names working in Hollywood today, including Robert De Niro, Susan Sarandon, Diane Keaton…and Patricia Rae, as the severe mother of the bride who doesn’t speak a word of English.
Patricia, of course, doesn’t have a problem with English. She was born in Manhattan and raised in Queens, and she’s been a bright light in Latino Hollywood for more than a decade, with appearances in movies like Maria Full of Grace and Swimfan, as well as high-end TV series from The Closer and Chuck to–most recently–Blue Bloods and Touch. So Wedding is a big deal for all concerned…and even better, it was–in her own words “a dream job.”
We had a chance to sit down and talk with Patricia about the role and her work in general (and this is just the first part of a longer conversation we’ll share soon). Check it out below…
Sonia Braga as the Meddling Mom and when her antics gets turned on her by her daughters (Ana Ayora and Mercedes Renard) the fun begins. And Tony Plana is the likely suitor. On the Hallmark Movie Channel and it repeats a few times on Sunday, February 25. Check channel times.
And stay tuned—because there’s talk that this made-for-TV movie could serve as a pilot for a Hallmark Channel original series…We’ll let you know when we hear more.
ANGELA MARÍA ORTÍZ S. PHOTOGRAPHY
Blu-ray and DVD Releases
Marvel Studios’ Captain America: Brave New World storms onto digital platforms including Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, and Fandango at Home on April 15, before making its triumphant debut on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD May 13.
Synopsis: In Marvel Studios’ Captain America: Brave New World, Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie)–who now wields the shield of Captain America after events in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier–meets with newly elected U.S. president Thaddeus Ross (Harrison Ford) and soon finds himself in the middle of an international incident. In a race against time, Sam must discover the reason behind a nefarious global plot before the true mastermind has the entire world seeing red.
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Tombstone 4K Blu-ray, UHD/BD Combo + Digital + Steelbook arrives on April 22.
Synopsis: Every town has a story—Tombstone has a legend. Experience the explosive, action-packed battle on 4K Ultra HD. U.S. Marshall Wyatt Earp (Kurt Russell), his brothers (Sam Elliott, Bill Paxton) and the outrageous Doc Holliday (Val Kilmer) band together to bring law to the lawless in a notorious showdown at the O.K. Corral. The star-studded cast also includes Dana Delany, Jason Priestley, and Michael Biehn in an epic story of Wild West justice. Directed by George P. Cosmatos.
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Abbott Elementary: The Complete Third Season on DVD is available now!
From Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment. Follow the lives of the staff we have grown to know and love working at Willard R. Abbott Elementary School, and go down memory lane with all 14 hilarious, wholesome and “educational” episodes from the third season.
Synopsis: It’s the season for change for the teachers of Abbott Elementary. Janine leads ambitious growth initiatives for the school while navigating personal and professional challenges. Gregory embraces his role as the “cool” teacher. Ava surprises with moments of unexpected leadership. From Career Day to a heartfelt end-of-year celebration, the Abbott staff prove that with teamwork- and Janine’s relentless drive-they can handle anything.
The cast includes Quinta Brunson as Janine Teagues, Tyler James Williams as Gregory Eddie, Janelle James as Ava Coleman, Lisa Ann Walter as Melissa Schemmenti, Chris Perfetti as Jacob Hill, William Stanford Davis as Mr. Johnson, and Sheryl Lee Ralph as Barbara Howard.
Favorite Shot of the Day
Podcast
You can also listen to any episode of all of the podcast at thebradmunson.com